


The Roanoke Colony

by Cedara



Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-31 23:06:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8597272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cedara/pseuds/Cedara
Summary: A mission to one of the first attempts on colonizing America has some unexpected results.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Greens](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Greens/gifts).



> Greens - I don't know enough about Civil War or the Plague to set it in that time, so I chose a different bit of history. I hope you like the story despite that. Happy Holidays!
> 
> For episode reference, this story was started before episode 103 began and after episode 106 finished.

#### Plymouth, England

Garcia Flynn watches the two men arrive in the small street. He had lured them there with false messages. It’s already late in the day, so not many people are still outside. The modern gun with the silencer is heavy in his hand, but Flynn is a good shot, so it’s easy to kill the man nearer to him. As the other arrives to check on the person lying dead on the ground, Flynn shoots him too. His goal reached, he carefully slips away in the coming dusk and returns to the Mothership.

* * * 

Near that location, on the very next day, two gentlemen are standing on the pier in an English harbour, watching several busy dock workers carrying crates and goods on board several nearby ships to stow away. Each of the two gentlemen has a different social status, as one of them is clad in typical 16th century clothing of an aristocrat and the other is dressed in very different clothing, suitable for a scholar of that time. They are talking, and from a distance it seems as if the gentleman is explaining something to the scholar. 

A watchman walks over towards them. He greets the gentlemen politely, fitting each of their social statuses. “Pardon me, sirs. I have been told I could find Sir Walter Raleigh here.” 

“You have found him, watchman,” the scholar answers. “It is the gentleman in my company that you seek. What is your business?”

“Sad news,” the watchman continues, turning to Raleigh and bowing politely, “Sir Raleigh, your cousin, the honourable Sir Richard Grenville will not be assisting your venture into the New World.”

“Why?” Raleigh asks. “What happened?”

“Sir Grenville was involved in a duel with another gentleman bearing the name of Ralph Lane and lost.”

“You have arrested Lane, I gather?” 

“No, sir. That is not possible. He was also killed.” Having done his duty, the watchman leaves.

After a moment, Raleigh addresses the scholar in his company. “This is most distressing. Once Her Majesty the Queen hears of this tragedy, I am sure she will retract the charter she has generously given me.”

“There is an obvious solution, sir,” the scholar suggests.

“Speak your mind.”

“You have military experience, you could lead the settlers and your presence would encourage more settlers to join your cause. Also, you are aware that I am skilled in navigation. If you permit me, I could assist you. I would also be a benefit to you as you have graciously let me study the language which the two savages in your custody speak. I can translate their words into English. All this would prove to Her Majesty that you’d be willing to succeed, despite the tragedy that occurred.”

Raleigh looks like he’s honestly considering the scholar’s suggestions. “Good thought, Harriot,” he agrees. “We might even travel this year.”

* * *

#### Present

The Lifeboat stands in the middle of the platform, rows of computers are located at a safe distance from it, the back of their screens towards it. All the computers are running, yet there are only a few people at the screens. One of them still at his computer is Rufus Carlin, carefully studying the data on the screen in front of him. Two people are joining him there, Lucy Preston and Wyatt Logan.

“Do we have a date?” Wyatt asks. 

“Kinda,” Rufus says.

“Kinda?”

“It’s either April 1585 or July 1587. It started fluctuating between those two,” Rufus says, not looking up from what he’s reading on the screen. “I have no idea why that happened. It never happened before. Jiya told me Flynn landed April 9, 1585 when we were called in. She and the guys are already running a diagnostic on the main server.” 

“So what’s in 1585 or 1587?” Wyatt asks Lucy.

“The English-Spanish war.” 

“Wonderful,” Wyatt mutters sarcastically.

The three of them watch the computers automatically reboot. At the same time, more people return to their computers next to the team, Jiya included. Rufus logs back in to the computer and Jiya joins the three. “We didn’t find the reason for the glitch, so we rebooted the whole system.” At Wyatt’s smirk, she adds, “And no, it’s not running on Windows.”

“We’ve got a date!” Rufus interrupts them. “Roanoke Island, August 7, 1587.”

“Anything particular happening on that date?” Wyatt asks.

“Off hand, nothing comes to mind,” Lucy answers. “I’d have to look it up.”

In the meantime, Rufus has opened a search window and hands Lucy the keyboard. She types in a search request for August 7, but it comes out negative. She tries the days after August 7, 1587 and gets several results. 

“August 18, birth of Virginia Dare, first English child born in America. Her grandfather is Governor John White,” Lucy reads out the result aloud. “August 8, Governor White leads an attack on the tribes in Dasamongueponke, but it goes wrong and they kill friendly allies. After that, the relations with the Native American tribes in the area deteriorate rapidly and White sails back to England for help and supplies. Held up by the English-Spanish war, he returns three years later, only to find an abandoned settlement with a message carved in a tree. The fate of the colonists remains unsolved.” 

“He can’t mess that up further, can he?” Wyatt asks.

“I don’t know,” Lucy says.

* * *

#### Roanoke Island, August 7, 1587

The moment the Lifeboat lands, a Secotan man wearing the tribal colours of his people feels the wind move quickly and turns around. Surprised, he stares at the huge object that seemed to have come out of nowhere and almost looks like one gigantic eye. The eye’s iris opens and the face of a white man in English clothing is staring at him. 

“Crap, not again!” the man says, but Secotan doesn’t understand a single word the other says.

A white woman, also in English clothing, shows up next to the white man. “Don’t shoot! He’s from one of the Algonquian tribes!” 

Even though the Secotan didn’t understand their words, he’s quite sure they do sound and look like the English people that arrived on his tribe’s island recently. He will have to report this to Manteo, his chief, even though he doesn’t yet know what he should tell the chief about the giant eye. Torn between fight and flight, the tribesman finally decides the latter and runs away north to alarm his people.

* * * 

The team has emerged from the Lifeboat, which is standing in a forest. 

Rufus and Wyatt are dressed in ruffed white linen shirts, doublets and Venetian hose. The Venetian hose are matching their doublets. They are also wearing stockings and leather boots that go up to the knee. Lucy wears a stiffly boned overdress, the ruffles of her smock below visible at her wrist joints and around her neck. Her shoes are dark pilgrim shoes. They all wear hats, the men flat caps and Lucy wears a coif which hides her pulled-up long dark hair. 

Pulling out his compass, Wyatt asks, “Which direction? North or south?”

“North,” Lucy answers. “The historical site is at the north end of the island.”

“I don’t know if it’s such a great idea to walk into the direction that Native American went,” Rufus reminds them. 

“If Flynn wants to make it worse, he’ll incite the tribes against the English settlers further,” Lucy explains. “So we have to talk to them.”

“All right, let’s go north then,” Rufus says, but he doesn’t seem delighted.

* * * 

Roanoke Island isn’t big, so it doesn’t take the team long to find the English settlers. However, the first thing they see leaving the forest is a wooden fort, its doors widely open. It’s surrounded by tiny fields nearby, which hold a meagre possible harvest. 

“This is wrong,” Lucy says as they stop for a moment in the warm August weather.

“Why?” Wyatt asks.

“There shouldn’t be a fort here,” Lucy answers. “At least not a functioning one. There should be only ruins of the previous attempt to settle here.” 

“Maybe they rebuilt it?” Rufus suggests.

“Maybe,” Lucy answers. Wyatt notices her looking worried. 

As they continue walking towards the fort, a man walks towards them. He’s wearing a black Venetian hose with a white ruffled shirt, black doublet, an equally black jerkin, grey stockings and black latchet shoes. He greets the team and introduces himself as Thomas Harriot. The team politely responds.

“Are you the people who have just arrived in a strange ship?” the man asks. “One of Chief Manteo’s men has reported that a strange ship has arrived.”

“Yes, that’s us. Our ship is a new design and very fast,” Wyatt says. “I’m Wyatt Logan, this is Lucy Preston, and that’s Rufus Carlin, our pilot.” He glances at Lucy, who takes the hint to help him.

“We came from England,” Lucy adds, “Sir Walter Raleigh sent us. We need to speak to Governor White to warn him of a danger. It’s urgent.”

“Then you should follow me,” Harriot says, “I serve Governor White as an interpreter with the savages. Please, accompany me into the fort. Whilst the governor is busy, I am certain he may find a moment to spare Sir Raleigh’s messengers.” 

On the way there, Harriot strikes a conversation with Rufus about sea navigation, which gives Lucy a moment to secretly talk to Wyatt.

“Harriot isn’t supposed to be here,” Lucy tells Wyatt. “Flynn must have already changed something.”

* * * 

Inside the fort, which has a harbour towards the seaside, are a few houses. In contrast to what the team had seen outside the fort, there’s a lot going on. 

People are bringing goods from inside the houses to people outside the houses who are packing them into small wooden boxes. It’s not just the English who do it, Native Americans are helping them. When the boxes are full, they’re closed and brought to small boats. Some of these are waiting for their cargo, some are rowed away, and others are just arriving. The boats are rowed by teams of English and Native American men. 

Harriot leads the team to two men, an English man and a Native American, who seem to be talking. 

“Governor White, Chief Manteo, these are Wyatt Logan, Lucy Preston and their pilot Rufus Carlin. They are the travellers that arrived. They say they have an urgent message from Sir Raleigh.”

“From Walter? Lovely,” Governor White says, his voice friendly, “Speak it out, our friend Chief Manteo should hear it too.” 

“We’ve come to warn you about a Spanish spy,” Wyatt says. “His name is Garcia Flynn.” 

“Really? Never heard of this Spaniard. Why should he spy on us?” 

“We believe he wants to sow dissent between you and Chief Manteo’s people.”

“Nonsense.”

“Governor,” Lucy interrupts, having taken notice of the ongoings in the fort, “are you moving your settlement?”

“Yes, Miss Preston, we are indeed moving. Chief Manteo’s people in Dasamongueponke are assisting us and will help us during the winter. In return, we will help them where we can. This cooperation will be good for us both. You and the gentlemen in your company should stay and join us. Why have you not been on the journey when we arrived on Roanoke?”

“We were considering it,” Lucy answers, “but there was the Plague on our way to Plymouth, which lengthened our journey.”

Before any of them can say another word, a small boat with an English woman arrives. She’s waving towards White and she’s the epitome of good news.

“John! You should come and see your grandson!” She exclaims as she arrives.

“A boy?” White asks, smiling delightedly. 

“Yes! A strong boy,” the woman affirms. 

“How is Eleanor and Ananias?”

“She is fine. Resting well. Ananias is proud and delighted.”

“Congratulations, my friend John White,” Manteo says in perfect English. “Go and welcome your daughter’s son to the family.”

While White talks to Harriot and Manteo before he walks off with the woman, Lucy whispers to Wyatt, “We’re too late, it’s already changed.”

“Agreed,” Wyatt says.

Rufus agrees, “Let’s go home.” 

The excuse themselves from Harriot and Manteo by saying they have to get a portrait miniature of Garcia Flynn from their ship and make the way back to the Lifeboat alone.

* * *

#### Present

The moment they leave the capsule, Paul Mason and Agent Christopher welcome them back home.

“Did you find Flynn?” Agent Christopher asks.

“No,” Wyatt says, “and nobody had heard of him.”

“When we arrived, history had already changed,” Lucy adds.

“Where’s Jiya?” Rufus asks, noting her absence.

“She’s off to a tribal meeting, you should know that,” Mason says. “She does it twice a year since she was elected to her tribe’s council.”

“Err...what?” Rufus says.

“One of your American oddities,” Mason says, bemused. “People on the council of a Native American tribe are getting paid leave for sessions.”

“Since when?” Lucy asks.

Mason shrugs. “Since I can remember.”

“It’s the law,” Agent Christopher confirms. “Tribal matters have precedence since the Powhatan Confederacy.”

“I’m sorry?” Lucy asks. “What’s the Powhatan Confederacy?” 

“As a historian, you should know that,” Agent Christopher says, puzzled, “It was the 14th state to sign the Declaration of Independence. It was located between North and South Carolina and lasted till 1814 when it was made part of North Carolina due to a treaty.” 

“That’s not how I remember it,” Lucy says, and the surprise is evident on her face. “It was always thirteen states.”

“Flynn managed it then,” Wyatt says, sounding resigned. “He managed to change America.”

 

END

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to P. for beta.


End file.
